Loom



w. HAMILTON LOOM Filed May 28, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 MAL/ICE 1954M/L70/14 INVENTOR. BY .0%

ATTORNEYS.

May S, 1942. w. HAMILTON LOOM Filed May 28, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

v ATTORNEYS.

lay Z May 5, 1942.

w. HAMILTON 2,282,223

LOOM I Filed May 28, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 M44405 haM/zra/v INVENTOR.

BY ma WITNESS. V /Z W ATTORNEYS.

May 5, 1 942.

WITNESS.

W. HAMILTON Filed May -28, 1940 LOOM 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 &

i /l, 4LAAC AQM/A ra/v.

INVENTQR.

gnaw ATTORNEYS.

May 5, 1942f w. HAMILTON 2,232,223

' room Filed May 28, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 .23 MZM czfm/v/zra/wINVENTOR.

BY @f/5Ww.

ATTORNEYS.

May 5, 1942. w. HAMILTON 3 3 Y LOOM Filed May 2a, 1949 12 Sheets-Sheet aM1040! MM/A 70M INVENTOR.

la /g ATTORNEYS.

A l TNESS.

- May 5 1942. HAMILTON I 2,282,223

LOOM

Filed May 28, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 r q flzifa lillllli M ATTORNEYS.

y 1942- V HAMlL-TbN 2,282,223

. 2 LOOM I Fiie d May 28.. 1940 IZ -SheetS-Sheet 1o fiauif 2 NVENT OR.

ATTORNEYS. I

May 5, 1942. w. HAMILi'QN Loom Filed May 28, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 11INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

M y 1942- w. HAMILTON 2 2,282,223

v LOOM Filed May 28, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 2/9 2/6 73' 572/6 1 I-l\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ l wuss. BY v /ZWW ATTORNEYS. 2

I Patented May 5, 1942,

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,282,223 r LOOM I I Wallace Hamilton,Plainfield, N. J. Application May 28,1940, Serial No.-337, 592

' 27 Claims. (01. ne -55) This invention relates to improvements inlooms and more particularlyto that type of'loom'for.

the weaving of cloth fabric. I g

Some of the outstanding objects of the inven- 1 tion are to reduce theheight ofthe loom to conserve room space, by elimination of theconventional overhead harness mechanism; to reduce the noise of therunning of the loom which is at present occasioned by 1' the harnessmechanism and various cams and other parts employed for actuatingtheharness mechanism and hea'dmo-f tion;

Another important feature of the invention resides in a novel headmotionfor looms in which the heddles which formthe shed of the warpthreads move simultaneouslyup anddown to permit of a more rapid sheddingmovementof the'heddles and'consequently permits safe running of the loomat a greater speed. 2

Another feature of theinvention is to provide a loom which permitsjacquard type weaving: at a speed of a "dobby 100m, and "whichgives amuch greater flexibility of pattern control while at the same timeeliminating excessive height,

cards, and other space consuming parts with which'the presentconventional loom is associated.

Whereas several of the outstanding features of the invention have beenset forth above, many other important and novel features of theinvention will be hereinafter explained in the following specificationand will be found clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

-which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my'improved loom with parts broken away.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially'onthe line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view substantially onthelline ll of'Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view on the line 5-5of Figure "1, the head motion mechanism being illustratedin openposition to position the heddles in shed forming position. 1 i 1 Figuredis an enlargedtopfplan view of the right end of the loomwith the hoodcasing removed and-the head motion mechanism in closed position; v j

, Figure 7 is a detail vertical longitudinal sec tional view on the line1-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view similar to' Figure 7,: but

showing the head motion mechanism: in open she'd formingzposition. I

their related latch bars.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective View with in section of the heddlelatch mechanism.

Figure 10isan enlarged detail vertical transverse sectional view throughseveral heddles and parts Figure 11 is a detail diagrammatic view'of theelectrical heddle selecting circuit in which a movableendless strip isemployed for determining the shedding of the warp threads.

Figure 12is a detail diagrammatic view of a modified form of electricalheddle selecting circuit in which a rotatable pattern cylinder is'employed for determining theshedding of the warp threads.

Figure 13' isa detail sectional elevational view of a still furthermodified 1form of heddle selecting means in which-a pattern cylindermechanism determines the shedding of the warp threads.

Figure 14 is a detail vertical transversesectional view of a head motionaotuating'means, thepartsbeing illustrated in closed position in fulllines and inopen shed forming position" in dotted lines.

Figure 15 is a detail vertical transverse sec tional view :of a'furthermodified form of head motion actuating means, the parts beingillustrate'din closed position in full lines and in open shedfiformingposition'in dotted lines. I

Figure 16 is detail sectional perspective view illustrating the mannerinwhich the heddles may besweighted.

Figure 17 isa detail horizontal sectional of the line I'l--l1 ofFigure-16.

Figure 118 is a detail sectional elevational View thermodifie'dform oflatch bar actuating mechanism.

Figure 21 is a .detailtop plan view of an auxiliaryheddle actuatingmeans'for forming a selvage edgeupon the cloth to be woven. I

Figure 22 is .avertical longitudinal sectional viewon theline 22-22 ofFigure 21;

.Referring tothe drawings by reference charactersjthe numeral Illdesignates a loom frame which includes a pair of spaced opposed upviewextend upwardly from the warp beam I5 and for-,

wardly over the whip roll H which is disposed on a substantiallyhorizontal plane with the roll I3. The warp ends I6 respectivelypassthrough the 4 eyes I8 of heddles I9, which by reason of the rowreceives the first end warp thread and the end heddle at the rearreceives the twentieth warp thread, thus the next adjacent heddle on thefront row receives the twenty-first warp thread and the next adjacentheddle of the rear row receives the fortieth warp thread, and so on alonthe length of the remaining rows of heddles. Thus the warp ends aredisposed in close spaced relation for free up and down movement which isessential for the formation of the shed 29.

The head motion for selectively raising the desired heddles andsimultaneously lowering the remaining heddles includes an upper pivotedmember A and a lower pivoted member B. The

novel head motion presently to be described,"

forms a shed 29, the warp ends at the shed passing through the dents ofa reed 2I which is mounted at the top of the lay 22, which is pivoted atits lower end to the loom frame at 23. The lay sword also carries theshuttle race 24 in the usual manner, disposed forward of the reed 2| andalong which the shuttle (not shown) travels back and forth to lay thefilling threads within the shed and which is actuated by picker sticks Pat the ends of the loom. The reed 2I reciprocates forward and rearwardin timed relation to the various other mechanisms of the loom by reasonof oscillatory pivotalmovement imparted to the lay sword 22, and theforward movement of the reed beats or pushes the filling threads againstthe edge of the previously woven filling thread. The cloth 25 passesforwardly under the-roll I3, thence downwardly over the usual guiderolls represented by 25 and 21 and is finally. wound upon a cloth beam28 journaled in the end frames II-II,

Extending forwardly and rearwardly along the tops of the end framesections IIII are angle bars 29 which have their horizontal flangeswelded, bolted or otherwise fastened to theend frame sections whiletheir vertical flanges depend inwardly along the inner sides of theframev sections I I. Fastened to the depending fianges of the angle bars29 and supported by the depend-,

ing flange of each angle rail is a pair of spaced substantially Z-shapedhanger brackets 39. Thus there are pairs of opposed alined brackets 39at the ends of the loom frame and these four brackets extend inwardlywith their free end twenty rows of heddles, and the slots in the guideplate 34 are staggered relative to each other so as to correspondinglystagger the rows of heddles, By referring to Figure 6 of the drawings,it will be seen that the end heddles of the twenty longitudinal rows aresuccessively stepped to the left so as to be offset relative to eachother and these twenty end heddles I9 respectively have the twenty warpthreads I6 passing through the eyes I8 thereof. straight path to thereed and thus eliminates the possibility of them being chafed byadjacent heddles. The end heddle of the front longitudinal This allowsthe warp ends a member A is disposed directly above the member B and thetwo members are respectively disposed at opposite sides of the guideplate 34 and the ends thereof extend slightly beyond the plane of theends of the guide plate. In view of the fact that the lower member Bnormally supports all of the heddles I9, the same will be described inadvance of the member A, which latter member functions to lift thoseheddles which are selected to move upward during the operation of thehead motion in a manner to be specifically pointed out hereinafter.

The member B comprises a rectangular channel frame body 36, the ends ofwhich are provided with forwardly extending arms 31 which are pivoted tothe angle brace rail I2 as at 38. The frame body 36 has a fiatimperforate panel 39 fixedly mounted therein. The panel 39 may be oflinoleum, rubber, or other sound deadening material having a flatsurface. Normally, all of the heddles I9 have their lower ends restingupon the upper fiat surface of the panel 39, and those heddles which arenot selected to be lifted by the member A, remain seated upon the panel39 and. move with the member B during operation of the headmotion by theactuating mechanism presently to be described.

The member A comprises a rectangular channel frame body 49, the ends ofwhich are provided with forwardly extending arms 4| which are pivoted tothe forward portions of the rails 29 as at 42. The frame body 40 has afiat metal panel 43 fixedly mounted therein, and which has staggeredrows of slots 44 therein corresponding to the rows of slots 35 in theguide plate 34 and through which the upper portions of the heddles I9freely pass.

The pivoted members A and B are operatively connected together by aseries of levers and links which are disposed at the ends thereof andwhich serve to positively actuate the members in timed relation, In viewof the fact that the operative end connections between the members A andB are identical, a description of the operative con nection at one endwill suflice for the construction at the opposite end. Each operativeend connection between the members A and B includes a rock lever 45pivoted intermediately to a stub shaft 46 which is. fixedly secured tothe adjacent end frame section II. The lower end of the lever 45 ispivotally connected at 4! to one end of a link 48, the other end of thelink being pivoted at 49 to thepivoted lay sword 22. The upper end ofthe rock lever 45 is pivoted as at 59 to one end of a link 5|, the otherend of said link being pivoted at 52 to the adjacent end of the framebody 49 of the upperheddle lifting member A. The links and levers justdescribed serve to impart up and down pivotal movement of the member Aduring the back and forth pivotal movement of the lay sword andsimultaneously case-as,

the

imparts down and up pivotal .movement of memberBinfloperativetimed-relation with the member A .byareason of. an actuating mechanismnow to be described. l

I The actuating mechanism for .the lower. member B comprises a'pair oflovers 53 and .54 which are pivotally' connected atone of their ends by.a

pivot .pin. 55. The lever '53 is .longenthan the lever and :hasits otherend pivoted to the lay sword has at. 56; and which. pivot 56 is in axialalinement with. the pivot 49 hereinbefore referredto- If desired, thepivots 49 and 56 may be a single pivot member and not two separatepivots. The other end-of the lever 54is pivoted at 57uto an adjacent endof the frame body 36 of the member B; Also connected to. the pivot pin55 is one end of a lever 58 while the other end of the same ispivotedat59oto a f bracket extending forwardlyfrom the bracing rail i4. By.reason of the pivoted levers 53, 54,

and 58 it is apparent that as the lay sword 22 moves rearwardly, themember B. will swing downwardly simultaneously with the upward movementof the member A to the positions shown in Figure 5 and as the laysword22 moves forward, the member? will swing upwardly and the member Adownwardly to the position shown in FiguresB and 4.

For imparting powerto the various working parts of the loom, I providean electric motor 63, which is mounted ona platform 6| at the left endof the loom adjacent the rear thereof.

I The drivingshaft 62 of the motor has'a pulley wheel 63 mounted thereonover which an endless belt 64 passes. Thebelt Malso pass'esover arelatively large pulley wheel 65 which is fixed to a crank shaft 65which is 'journaled. in the end frame sections ll--| I. The shaft 66is'provided with two like crank portions 6'! adjacent its ends to whichthe rear ends of pitmans 68 are shaft 10 having a gear H, fixed to theleft end thereof and which meshes with a'gear 12 fixed to the shaft 66.Power may be taken from the shaft 10 for operating other parts of theloom I such as thepicker. stick actuating mechanism (notshown). I

In order to form the shed ZO it is necessary that certainof the heddlesl9 move upward with o the pivoted member A while the remaining heddlesdrop by gravity upon the downward movement of thepivoted member B.'To'selectively connect theheddles to themember A, I- provide a novelheddle control mechanism now to be described.

Each longitudinal row of heddles i9 is under the control of a group offour slidable latch bars, each of which is designated 13,"the latch barsof each group being arranged in super posed relation. I have.illustrated twentylongitudinal rows of heddles, therefore there aretwenty groups of superposed latch bars, a total of eighty latch bars inall. While I have-illusto be limited thereto. Each "group of latch "bars13irest .flatjupon the top face of the panel 43 of the Iupper pivotedmember A, and the latch barsare disposed forwardly o'fnthe rows ofheddleswhich they control. :Spaced. guide bars 14 are secured to thepanel 43 transversely thereof and, through which thegroups of latch barsfreely slide. Each latch bar 13 of a group is provided, with a pluralityof equidistantly. spaced rearwardly extending teeth .15, the spacebetween the adjacent teeth being approximately the distance. betweenfourheddles I 9 in the same longitudinal row as bestillustrated in Figure 6.Each tooth 15 is engageable with an adjacent heddle l9 by reason of thetooth entering a notch 16 in the front edge of the heddle l9 when thelatch bar is slid to latching position. Byv reference to Figure 10,Iit'will be seen that the'side walls of the-notches 7 6 are scam curved toprevent snaggingof the. heddles .onlthe head member 43 or upon adjacentwarp threads when the heddles are unlatched. Thusit will be understoodthat theteeth 15 of one latch bar are engageable withwevery fourthheddle of. alongitudinal :row, and by-successively staggering the teeth15*ona groupof latch bars, all the heddles of arrow are capable of beinglocked by their related latch bars. Therefore. if the latch :bars '13,of the twenty groups can be selectively slid to latching position, it ispossible to lock certain of theheddles to the upper member A for upwardmovement therewith, the heddles left unlatched being free to drop. withthe down-. ward movement of the lower-member B. A selective control andactuating mechanism for the latch bars will nowbe explained.

. Eachlatch bar 13 has its own selected control and actuating mechanism,which, as illustrated in, :the drawings, totals eighty, therefore, forspace conserving reasons, I provide forty of such mechanisms ,at one endof the loom and the otherforty at the other end thereof. Two latch barsof each group are controlledfrom one end of .the loom and the other twoof a. group from the other end thereof. It is believed. that adescriptionof one latch bar controlling and actuating mechanism" willsuffice for the others, although :certainlike parts in the respectivemechanismsmay be staggered to prevent interference of operation of onelatchbar actuating mechanism with another.

In Figures 6 to 9 inclusive I have illustrated the latch bar control andactuating mechanism which is located at the right end ofthe loom and thematter now to be described will best be understood by referring to thesefigures. The sliding movement of each latch bar 13 controlled from theright end of the loom is toward the right from a neutral unlatchedposition to a latching positiomandfrom right to left for return fromlatching to unlatching position, while the movement of the latch barscontrolled from the left end. of the loom are justlthe reverse. .One endof each latch bar 13 extends beyond one'end of thepan-el 43nof-themember A and this extending end is provided with a ninety degree twist11 so that the wide flat sides arevertical. The twisted end ofthe latchbar is pivoted at 58 to the upper blunt endof a dagger-shaped rocklever'IS. Those rock levers 19 at an end of the loom are pivotallymounted upon a common pivot rodl80 which extends from front'to rear andhas its lends ,fixedly mounted in alined trated twenty rows of-heddles,I. and four super- .han l' rac ts 8| which are fixed to and de posed,latch :bars to .each grou .1 do not wish pend from the front and rearsides of the frame 48 of the upper pivoted member A. The lower end ofthe lever 19 is taperedand terminates in a reduced rounded nose 82. Theactuation of each dagger-lever I9 is controlled by two relativepositions of a slide bar 83 which has a notch 84 in the upper edgethereof, the side walls of the notch diverging outwardly to providesurfaces 85, one of which is engaged by the nose 82 of the lever I9 whenthe bar is in an extended unlatched position, and which action serves toactuate the lever I9 to move its related latch bar I3 from latching tounlatching position, and the other cam surface acts to move the daggerlever in a reverse direction to actuate the latch bar from an unlatchingto a latching position. The slide bars 83 are mounted in a channel rack86 which is supported upon the horizontal portions 32 of the pair ofhanger brackets 38 and which rack extends transversely across the loom.Each slide bar is disposed in a channel of the rack and slides back andforth in a direction lengthwise of the loom. The top of the rack isbridged by two spaced fiat supporting plates 8'I8'I, the space betweenthe supports permitting the nose ends of the dagger-levers 19 to enterthe notches 84 of the respective slide bars.

Each latch bar 83 is under the control of an electric solenoid 88 whichis fixedly mounted upon either of the plates 81. The solenoids 88 aremounted in double rows upon the plates 81 and are staggered so as to bedisposed in alinement with the respective slide bars 83 with which theyare operatively related. The sliding armature or pin 89 of each solenoidnormally drops by gravity through an opening 98 in the plate 81 andenters a notch 9I in the top of the slide bar 83 for locking the slidebar againstsliding movement. A leaf spring 92 constantly bears againstthe inner end of each slide bar 83 to urge the same outwardly toextended position. By reference to Figure 8, it will be seen that if theleft end solenoid88 is energized, the sliding armaturev 89 will moveupwardly out of the notch 9I, and the spring 92 will push the bar 83outwardly against a rod 93, and position the notch 84 out of directvertical alinement with the shaft 88 whereby upon downward movement ofthe dagger lever I9 the nose 82 thereof will strike against one of thecam walls 85 and cause the lever to turn slightly and effect anunlatching of the latch bar I4. The bars 83 unless locked in position bythe armature 89 of the solenoids 88, are forced by springs 92 to bearagainst a combined stop and pusher rod 93 which is supportedtransversely of the loom by the inwardly hooked ends 94 of a pair ofrock levers 95, the latter being joined by a connecting brace rod 96.The intermediate portions of the levers 95 are pivoted at 91 to ears 98depending from the horizontal sections 32 of the brackets 38. Topositively limit the movement of the rod 93 toward and away from therack 86 in which the bars 83 are slidably mounted, the ends of the rod93 project beyond the outer sides of the levers 95 and are reduced forreception in arcuate slots 99 provided in ears I88 extending outwardlyfrom the ends of the rack 86. The hookedends 94 of the levers 95 arerelatively short compared to the straight main body portions of thelevers, and it will be understood that if the body of the levers arepulled down, the hooked ends 94 will move inwardly, pushing away bars 83which might have been previously extended, to their return lockingposition. Should the levers 95 be pushed masses;

upwardly, the hooked ends 94 will swing outwardly, whereupon any bars83which are unlocked by the armature pins 89 will move outwardly toextended position by reason of the springs 92. The levers 95 areactuated in timed relation to the opening and closing movements of thehead motion in a manner now to be described, by operatively connectingthe same to the levers 58 which form part of the actuating means for thepivoted member B of the head motion.

Formed integral with and extending outwardly from the vertical portions3| of the brackets 38, are ears I8I to which one end of levers I82 arepivoted at I83, the other ends of the levers I82 ibeing joined by atransveres brace rod I84 on which the upper ends of levers I85 arepivoted. The lower ends of the levers I85 are pivoted at I86 to therespective levers 58. The levers are provided with alined openings I81which receive the reduced portions I88 provided at the ends of a tie rodI89. The rod'I89 also has bearing portions II8 which freely pass throughelongated'slots III in the levers I82.

From the construction hereinbefore described it will be apparent that ifthe solenoids 88 can be selectively energized and de-energized thatvarious weaves of cloth may be woven, and that decorative artisticdesigns may be simultaneous- Supported by the rail 29 at the left end ofthe loom rearwardly thereof is a platform II2 on which a pair of spacedsprocket drums I I3--I I4 are rotatably supported by shafts II5-II8respectively, the latter being journaled in bearings IIl-l I8respectively. Hanger members II9 depend from the platform I I2 whichrotatably and adjustably support a driving sprocket drum I28 which isfixed to a shaft I2I. The outer end of the shaft I2I extends beyond theouter side of the right end frame section II and has a ratchet wheel I22fixed thereto, while a gear I23 is fixed to the shaft [M at the innerside of the end frame section and meshes with a larger intermediate gearI24 fixed to a stub shaft I25, the intermediate gear also meshing with agear I28 fixed to the shaft II5. An endless pattern control belt I2'Ipasses about the sprocket drums I I4, H5, and I28, the belt beingprovided with slots to receive the teethof the sprocket drums. Thepattern belt I21 is constructed of a flexible dielectric material, suchas papenand is also provided with longitudinal rows of slots I28 similarto that employed in automatic player piano rolls. The maximumlongitudinal rows of slots I28 on the belt should correspond to the.number of solenoids, which in this instance totals eighty, and althoughno systematic arrangement of slots has been illustrated in the drawings,it will be understood that the slots may be predeterminedly cut orpunched in the belt to'selectively effect energization of the solenoids88 by the closing of individual electric control circuits in which thesolenoids are respectively arranged in a manner 1 thereto whichconstantly bears against a roller,

I38 mounted on a slide bar I'3I. The slide bar the, heddle lifting;member A. Byreference to I3I is mounted. on the outer side. of therrightend frame section, II and has a'slot I32 therein through which a guidepin I33 extends, thepin being fixed to the end framesection I-I. One endof a contractile spring L34 isfixed to thepin I33 while its other end isattached to an anchor pin I35 which is mounted on the slide bar ISI.

I The spring I34 is always under tension to hold the roller I30. againstthe cam I29. Pivoted tothe slide bar I3 I isa ratchet pawLI36 which, is

I held in engagement with the periphery of the ratchet wheel I 22 by aspring; I 31. A springactuated latch pawl I38 is pivotedto the framesection I I and engages the periphery of the ratchet I II3 through themedium of the gears I23, I24,

and I26, and which movement of the drum H3 moves the pattern belt I21. apredetermined distance.- The spring I34- returns the slide bar I3I afterthe. peak of the cam I29 leaves the roller, I I30, so as to position theratchet actuatingpawl for another. ratchet operation. I

Mounted on a support I39 which is circuit selecting mechanism I whichcooperates with theendless pattern belt I2'Ito setthe electric circuit C(Figure 1l)'for operation, the'ciiw cuit having branches in whichthesolenoids 83 are arranged. Themechanism. I40 includes-afrom the loomframe. andwhichis disposed above the horizontal lead. ofthe beltareflexible. resilient feeler contacts I43 which normally rest upon thebelt andwhi ch are in vertical alinement with the contact plates I IIrespectively." The freeends of the feeler contacts. I43 drop through theslots I28 in thepatternbelt I21 for contacting engagement withthe'contact plates I 4| as the predeterminedly arranged slots presentthem? selves to the feeler contacts during the intermite tent actuationvofthe pattern belt.

Mountedupon upright supports M4 which rise upwardly from the. rails29-49 at opposite, ends of the loom frame, is a switchbox M5, the samebeing disposed clear of but in the plane of the electric'material.

is provided with a roller. I56 whichis disposed member A of the headmotion. Mounted within the switch box I45 is a circuitclosing switch I4which is arranged in the circuit C. This switch includes an'upper fixedcontact member I41 and a lower pivoted or flexible contact. member I 58which is normally. disposed out'of .contac-ting'ene gagement with the.contact member. I67. Slidably mounted in the bottom wall ofthe' switchbox M5 and depending therefrom, isa switch actuating pin M9 foractuating engagement with the con tact member I48. The upper contactingportion of the pin is designated by I49'--A, and is of'di- Thelowerendof the pin H59 in the path of a striker plate I55, which plateisfixedlysecured to thetop frontof th frame. 4B of x n er os I between thedrums I I B and II I'is an electrical Figure 5, it Will-beseen: that theswitch actuatin pin l Iflis engaged by the striker plate -I5I on ,eachupward movement of the member'A, whichcloses the switch I and thecircuit C which is setfor operationby the feeler'contacts I43 engagingtheir mating contact plates, MI, will be closed and the solenoids 88inthe closed circuitwill be energized, thus permitting those latch bars I4which are: under the influence of the energized solenoids, to be movedto unlatched position upon the next downward movement of themember A ofthe head motion. The circuit C. receives itselectric energythroughelectric supply conductors I52, the voltage of which is stepped down. bya transformer One side of the circuit C' is grounded fromthe solenoidtothe loom-frame or other suitable ground as shown at I54 in Figure 1.1.The. multiplicity of wires from the circuit setting switch mechanism Milto the solenoids 88 pass through the cables lei and the wire from'th-eswitch I lfi to the mechanism M8 is designated I 53.

, Front and] rear hoods I51 and I58 are pivoted at j I 59 to theuprights I44 and normally rest upon .the end rails is-29. The front hoodI57 overlies the head motion of the loom'and the rear hood'l58 overliesthe pattern control mechanism,

and .c'ombined, they provide a top covering for preventing dust and flysettling on the loom, and also impart a neat and modern appearance. tothe loom as" a whole. The outer sidesof the hoods are provided withhandles IN; to facilitate the raising. and lowering of the hoods asandwhen it is necessary to reach parts of the loom disposed immediatelytherebeneath.

Having 1 described the details of construction and the individualoperations and functions of thefs'everal combined mechanisms of. myimproved loom,'I shall now give a general outline. of the cycle 'ofoperation of. the loom as a whole.

Assume that the loom is set up for operation with a. pattern belt I 2]in position upon the sprocket "drums Ii3 and H4; and the warp threads.Iiiarranged side by side and threaded through the eyes ofthe respectiveheddles I8, and the head motion is inclosed or horizontal position asbest illustrated in Figures 3, 4;. and 7, of th drawings. Withtheheadmotion in closed position, the heddle lifting member A and heddlelowering member B are horizontally. disposed and consequently theheddles I9 are at the same level" for I they are bein supported by theflat panel. 39 'ofthe member B. The motor 63' is turned on and powertherefrom i transmitted to thecrank. shaft-156;. As the shaft 66. startsto turn, the lay sword22 moves rearwardly, and this rearward movement ofthe lay sword causes the lever and linkconnections betweenthelay. swordand the members A and B to simultaneously move the members A and B awayfrom each other to an open positionas illustrated in Figure 5. ,.Ifnone: of the solenoids 88 havebeenenergized 'on a previouscycle ofoperation, thedagger levers l9 are all in a vertical position, at

which time the latchbars I3 are all disposed in heddle latching positionand will therefore lock all the heddles I9 to the member A, whereuponall the heddles willimove upwardly with the memher A. Such a conditionwould naturally not producea shed 20, but if on a previous cycle ofoperation, certain predetermined solenoids 88 were energized by reasonof certain of the slots 1' 8: intoc belt Z' permitting the ieelcrcontact members I43 to engage their related contact plates I4I, thecircuit will be closed as the striker plate I5! on the member A strikesthe switch actuating pin I49, and thus closing the selectively setcircuits and energizing the selected solenoids 88 therein, which enablesthe slide bars 83 which are under the influence of these energizedsolenoids to move outwardly to extended position by reason of the pushersprings 92. On the previous operation or cycle, the dagger levers 19have been rocked by the cam surfaces 85 f the extended bars 83, andwhich rocking has caused the latch bars 13 connected thereto to be movedto an unlatched position. Therefore, instead of all of the heddles I9moving upwardly with the member A, those heddles which are controlled bythe latch bars 13 which are in unlatched position, are free of themember A and drop by gravity as the member B moves downwardly. Byreference to Figure wherein the members A and B of the head motion arein open position, the latched heddles I8 have moved .upward with the member A, while the unlatched heddles have dropped with the member B andare resting on the flat panel 33 thereof, and which position of the headmotion and heddle, forms the shed 20. While the head motion is in shedforming position, the shuttle (not shown) will lay the weft through thelength of the shed, after which the member A moves down and the member Bmoves up, this movement being efiected by the return or forward movementof the lay sword 22. Having described one complete cycle of operation ofthe head motion, it will be seen that if no change has been made in theheddle selection, the dagger levers will not be disturbed as they entertheir respective notches in the bars 83, although during the interval oftime that the member A is in raised position, the link and levermechanism of the lower member B has actuated the lever 86 to cause therod 93 to return the extended slide bars 83 to a retracted position, but

. unless these sections or branches of the circuit C controllin thesolenoids 88 of these formerly extended slide bars have been deenergizedby the pattern control mechanism, these bars will again slide outward totheir extended position, and as the rod 33 moves outward, the daggerlevers will enter the notches 84 and remain in their previously setpositions. However, should a'previously energized solenoid 88 bedeenergized, that bar 83 controlled by said solenoid willbecome lockedfor the armature lock pin 89 will drop into its keeper notch 9i, andwhen the related dagger lever descends, the cam surface 65 will rightthe lever and cause a previously unlatched latch bar 13 to return tolatching position. Thus by selectively energizing and deenergizing thesolenoids 88, the heddles may be unlocked and locked on successivecycles of operation, and by suit-.

ably spacing the slots I28 along the pattern belt I21, various weaves ofcloth, and jacquard designs may be obtained in the finished cloth 25.

By referring to Figure 5 it will be clearly seen that by having theheddles I9 of the same length and with their eyes I8 at like distancesfrom the ends of the heddles, that the warp ends forming the top of theshed 28 are parallel as they pass through the slots of the reed 2I andthe same are substantially parallel to the raised angular position ofthe member A. The same is true of the warp ends I6 forming the bottom ofthe shed 26, for they assume a position substantially parallel to thelowered angular position of the member B. By maintaining the upper andlower warp ends in the positions just stated, a clear shed is providedwhich will enable the shuttle to pass therethrough unobstructed.

In Figure 12 of the drawings I haveillustrated a slightly modified form.of circuit selector mechanism. Instead of a pattern belt I21 forselectively controlling the solenoids to be set for operation, I providea driven rotatable pattern cylinder I66 which is intermittently turnedin the same manner as the drum I I3. The cylinder I66 is constructed ofdi-electric material having circumferential rows of alined removablymounted cam elements I6I on the periphery thereof. There will be acircumferential row of elements I6I for each branch of the circuit C,and each element successively engages a flexible spring contact memberI62 and pushes it against the fixed companion contact member I63. Thecontact members I62 and I63 are the respective equivalents of thecontact members I43 and MI hereinbefore described, and are arranged inthe branches of the circuit C. By suitably spacing the cam members I6Iof each circumferential row, and by staggering the cam members of onecircumferential row relative to those of other rows, various weaves andpatterns may be woven 1 having circumferential rows of sockets I65therein which removably receive the stems I66 of cam shaped head memberI61. There is a circumf-erential row of sockets I65 for each slide barI63 and they arerespectively arranged in alinement therewith. The cammembers I61 may be predeterminedly positioned in certain of the slotsaccording to the Weave or pattern to be embodied in the woven cloth. Thecylinder I64 is intermittently driven and as it turns, the cam memberscontact the outer ends of their respective slide bars 83, those slidebars which are not engaged by cam members being extended by the springs82. Thus it will be seen that the slide bars may be pushed into aposition to actuate the dagger levers 19 to effect a latching of theheddles or be extended to actuate the dagger levers to unlatchingposition. If desired, a conventional type of dobby chain might be usedin the same manner as the pattern cylinder I64.

Figure 14 illustrates a modified form of head motion actuating meanswherein a pair of mesh? ing gears I68 and I69 are rotatably mounted ateach end of the loom frame and are driven by bears I16 fixed to thedriven crank shaft 66. Each gear I68 is connected to one end of theframe 46 of the upper heddle lifting member A by pivoting one end of alink I1I to the frame as at I12 and by pivoting the other end of thelink to an eccentric pin I13 on the gear I68.

- Each. gear I69 is connected to one end of the frame 36 of the pivotedheddle base member B by pivoting one end of a link I 14 to frame 36 asat I15 and by pivoting the other end of the link I14 to frame 36 as atI15 and by pivoting the other end of the link I14 to an eccentric pinI16 on the gear I68. In the drawings, the members A and B areillustrated in full lines in closed position, but it will be understoodthat as the shaft 66 turns, the gears I68 and I63 will be driven by thegear I16 and the links HI and I14 will im- 0115137) move I the: membersa A- and BT to p the i open part simultaneous. operating; movements:tothe members A and Beta-the position shownin' dotted lines, afterwhichthememb'ers: A. and B return to closed position to complete a cycleofoperation of the head motion. e

In Figure 15. afurther modified form of. head motion is shown whereinthe 'heddle'liftin'g and lowering members are pivotally supported onfloating pivots as distinguished from fixed pivots as hereinbefore shownanddescribed. By

this means, which is adjustable, the heddle lifting and lowering membersA and B have vertical up and down movement as well as pivotal movement,and it is possible to regulate the angular relation that the members AandBare to assume Y when in open position, which regulation controls theheight of the warp shed 20, and the angular relationshipof the upper-andlower warp ends which form the shed. To-accomplish theabove result, Iprovideat each' end'ofi the loom, a rock lever ITI pivoted intermediateits ends to an adjacent end rail 29 as at H8. The forward end Q ofthelever I1! is provided'with an angular ex-,

tension or tail" I19 having'an elongated slot I8!) therein. A pivot boltI8I passes through the slot I89 and through a hole in the forward end ofa channel arm member I82 which adjustably receives the extension portionM of the frame 49 of the member A. The extension portion 4| is providedwith an elongated slot I83and-a clamping bolt I84 passes through theslot I83- and through a hole in the arm member I82. By'loosening thebolt I84, the member A may be slid relative to the tail end of the leverI", so as to change the pivot or fulcrum point of the memher A relativeto the lengthfof the tail portion I19. The rear endof the-lever II'Iispivoted at I85 to one end of a link I86, theotherend of the link beingpivoted 'eccentricallyto a driven gear I81 as at I 88. In this formof'he'admotion I also employ an actuating mechanism similar to thatset'forth in Figural i and corresponding parts are identified by likereference characters. Inorder to impart rotation to the gear I81 foractuating the rocker arm I11, I constantly mesh the gear III! withdriven gear I68. An arrangement for floating the pivot of the lowermember B is provided and which is similar to the construction justdescribed for th'e'member A, and

includes a rock lever I89 pivotedintermediate its ends to an adjacentend frame II as at I90.

The forward end of the lever I89is provided with an angular extensionortail I9I having an elongated slot I92 therein; A pivot bolt I93 passesthrough the slot I92 andthro'ugh a hole in the forward end of achannelarmmemberlfl l which adjustably receives the extension portion 31of theframe 35 ofthemem'ber. B. The extension portion 3'Iisprovided-withan elongatecl'slot I95 and a clamping bolt I99 passes through the slotI95 and througli'a hole in thearm member I 94. By loosening the bolt I96, the member B 'may be slidrelative to the tail 'end'of the lever I'Ilso as to change the pivotor fulcrum point of the member B relative tothe lengthof'the tail portion I 9|. The rear end of the lever I89 ispivoted at I9! to one endof a link I98; theother end of the link beingpivoted eccentrically-to a The gear I99 meshes driven gear I99as at200.

both with the gear I81 and with the gear I69.

In the drawings, the full lines illustrate the parts when the members Aand B are infclosed posl tion, at which time they are horizontalandparallel. As the drive shaft 66' rotates'the gears, eccentric levers,and rock levers will'simultane- I93 may be so positioned along the.angular tail portions I19 and .I9I that the members: A and B may assumedifferent angular positions when in openposition, orgitheymay be set sothatthe members-A and B assume parallel horizontal positions at. alltimes. I

InlFigure t16 I-haveillustrated the manner in which the-heddles I9 maybe weighted and magnetized" at their lower ends to effect a more rapidand positive drop thereto when theyare lowered bythelowerxheddle'actuating member, B- Each heddlehas-a magnetized lingoe 2Mattached to thexlower end thereof. andtubular and may be made of anymagnetizableumaterial. A fiat key 292 passes: through alinedslots in'thelingoe and heddle and has itsends bent flat against the. opposite sidesof the lingoe into two oppositelyv extending angular flanges 203-293..The panel-z39 of the mem- "belt-B on whichthe heddles normally rest, ispro:

vided. on its topsurface witha. plurality of parallel metal bars 295,one beneath each longitudir nal' row ofalined heddles. The metal bars265 are of a metal which isresponsive to the magnetic action ofthe,magnetizedlingoesf 2III, and

- "her A, the upward pull overcoming the magnetic pull. As theuppermember A pivots upward, the longitudinal rows of heddles willsuccessively breakloose from the magnetic downward pull, so that the.magnetic pull of all the heddles does not have to be overcomesimultaneously by the power required for swingingthe member A upwardly;

In Figure 18 there is shown a modifiedform of latchbar actuatingmechanism which is similar to-that illustrated in Figures 1 to 11, inclusive; but in which certain parts have been transposed; In this form, thetwisted end of each latch bar "I3 is fixedly attached to a slide bar 83'which is'slidable in a rack adapted to be fixed to the frame of theuppermember A of'the head motion. The'bar is provided with elongated slots206 which-receive stop pins ZBI'for limitingthe back and forth slidingmovement ofthe slide bar; The lower edge ofthe'bar'ilz' isprovided' witha notch 84' having, cam surfaces 85'-.

Thedaggei likelever I9 is pivoted on a fixed rod 80disposed'beneaththesIide bar 83' and hasiits' nose end 82 extendingupwardly. A spring208 tends to pull the lever IS in'one direction to aposition to effect "latching of the latch bar I3 and as illustratedin'full lines, while an" electric solenoid 269 acts upon the lever. to

"pull theisameagainst the tension of the spring 'tolatch' bar unlatchingposition asillustrated in dotted lines. Thus when he solenoid'is deepenThe lingoe 291 is fiat gized, the lever 19' is in a position'that thenose 82 engages a cam surface 85" when the upper section A of the headmotion closes and moves the latch bar to latching position, but when thesolenoid is energized, the reverse action takes place, namely, theengagement of the nose end of the lever and cam surfaces of the notchcauses the slide bar to move the latch bar 13 to unlatching position.

In Figure 19 a further modified form of latch bar actuating means isshown in which the nose end 82 of the dagger lever 19 engages therounded nose end 210 of .a rock lever 2, the latter being pivotedintermediate its ends on a fixed rod 2l2. A contractile spring 2l3 tendsto normally hold the nose 2 ill of the lever in the dotted position sothat when the nose end 82 of the lever 19 strikes it, the latch bar 13will be moved to latching position. For moving the lever 21! to efiectactuation of the lever 19 to move the latch bar 13 to unlatchingposition, I connect the sliding armature 2M of a solenoid 2l5 to thelower end of the lever. When the solenoid is energized it pulls thelever 2| I against the tension of the spring. Thus by selectivelyenergizing and deenergizing the solenoid 2l5, it is possible to positionthe nose end 2H] of the lever at opposite sides of the plane of the noseend 82 of the lever ll so that when the lever 19 moves down with.

the closing of the member A, the latch bar 13 may be turned to impartlatching and unlatching movements to the latch bar.

In Figure 20 I have illustrated a sliding latch bar 13' which is underthe direct influence of a solenoid 2l6, the sliding armature 2!! ofwhich is connected to one end of the latch bar 13. The other end of thelatch bar has one end of a contractile spring 2l8- connected thereto,the other end of the spring being anchored as at 2|9. When the solenoid2l6 is deenergized, the spring 268 pulls the latch bar 13' to unlatchingposition, and when the solenoid is energized, the armature 2H pulls thelatch bar against the action of the spring to latching position. Thesolenoid 216, latch bar 13', and spring anchorage of course, are allcarried by the upper heddle lifting member A.

In Figures 21 and 22 I have illustrated an auxiliary heddle controlmechanism which may be placed at both ends of the loom to effect theweaving of selvage edges to the cloth as it is woven under the controlof the pattern control mechanism. Only one selvage weaving unit has beenillustrated and it is capable of alternately lifting and lowering theselvage warp ends to produce the conventional successive over and underweave. The selvage weaving unit includes two batteries of spaced heddlesX and Y. Each battery of heddles comprises a horizontal head bar 220having spaced heddles 22! fixed thereto and depending therefrom, andwhich have eyes 222 through which pass the warp ends 223 which form theshed in the weaving of the selvage edge. The heddles 22| of the batteryX are staggered with respect to the heddles of the battery Y. The bars220 are provided midway of their ends with alined upstanding heddleextensions 224 which freely pass through slots 44 in the panel 43 of theupper heddle lifting member A. The lower ends of the heddles 22l restupon the panel 39 of the lower member B. In order to form the under andover weave, it is necessary to alternately latch and unlatch thebatteries of heddles X and Y to theheddle lifting paneldtintimedrelation to the up and down movements of the upper and lower heddleactuating members A and B. For this purpose, I provide a slidable latchplate 225 mounted in track rails 226 fixed to the underside of the panel43 and extending crosswise of the batteries of the heddles X and Y. Theplate 225 has a pair of alined elongated slots 22'! therein throughwhich the heddle extensions 224 freely pass. The heddle extensions 224are provided with reversely arranged notches 228228 and the slots 221are of such length and so spaced that when the plate 225 is at the limitof its movement toward the right, the outer end of the left slotlockingly engages the notch 228 of the battery of heddles X, and thisposition of the plate is controlled by energizing a solenoid 229 whichhas its slidin armature 230 fixed to the right end of the latch plate.When the solenoid is deenergized, a contractile spring 23| effectsunlatching of the plate from the battery of heddles X and causes theright end of the slot 221 to engage the notch 228 of the battery ofheddles Y. Thus it will be ap parent that by alternately energizing thesolenoids 229, the batteries of heddles X and Y may be alternatelylatched to the heddle lifting member A, the battery of heddles notlatched dropping down upon the downward movement of the member B. o

While I have shown and described what I consider'to be the mostpractical construction and design of my invention, I wish it to beunderstood that such modifications thereof as come within the scope ofthe appended claims may be resorted to if desired without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. j

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and'desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A shedding mechanism for looms comprising in combination, a pair ofmembers arranged in spaced superposed relation, means for mounting saidmembers for movement toward and away from each other, heddles normallyresting upon the lower of the members and slidably extending through andabove the upper of the members,

actuating means for alternately moving said members toward and away fromeach other, and means carried by the upper of the members and engageablewith the heddles for selectively connecting'the heddles to the upper ofthe members for movement therewith.

2. A shedding mechanism for looms comprising in combination, a pluralityof spaced heddles through which warp ends are adapted to pass, a supportmember on which the lower ends of said heddles normally rest, a liftingmember disposed above the supporting member and having heddle slotstherein through which the respective heddles pass, means for mountingsaid support member and said lifting member for simultaneous movementtoward and away from each other,

releasable latch means carried by th lifting member and engageable with;the heddles by which said heddles may be individually connected to saidlifting member for movement therewith,

and means for selectively controlling the actuation of said latch meanswhereby certain of the heddles may be raised by the lifting member andthe others caused to drop with the supporting member to forma shed.

3. A shedding mechanism for looms comprising in combination, a pluralityof heddles having eyes through which warp ends are adapted to pass, afixed guide member through which said heddles are freely slidable, apivoted Supporting

